That's Butter Trifle Here

[steepholm]

I know you've been worrying about my luggage, so let me reassure you that on the way back from the USA my bag was neither lost nor broken into by the TSA.

However, the United Airlines system did decide to charge me $25 dollars to check it, despite my ticket making it clear that I was entitled to one piece of checked luggage gratis. The assistant said he'd never come across this error before but could do nothing about it as he didn't have supervisor privileges, and his supervisor wasn't on duty. I should claim it back from United at Heathrow, he said.

The United people at Heathrow told me they could do nothing, but advised me to use the refund facility on the website.

The website repeatedly got me to scan and upload the relevant documents with an accompanying narrative, only to freeze when I hit Submit.

On the plus side, today my car died, which did a splendid job of putting the loss of $25 in perspective.

I blame Diana Wynne Jones's travel jinx.

Comments

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

I blame Diana Wynne Jones's travel jinx.

A bequest?

Nine

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I think I received a portion, at least.

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

You are pretty amazing to be finding a bright side of the car conking out! (Not so much DWJ as Eleanor H. Porter.)
Your luggage anecdote reinforces my determination nevereverever to fly with United.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I try to play the Glad Game, and flick spitballs in the face of Fate.

[splanky.livejournal.com]

That travel jinx gets around. I'm sure it was the reason I had so much grief when I used to travel to the US regularly. Sometime I will tell you of the hotel stay I was moved through five different rooms, because things kept breaking, or the time they nearly cancelled a flight because I actually got on it.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think her loyal fans all got a share of that jinx....

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

Sympathies on the car. Can it be revived?

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting to hear. I did overhear the AA man tell the mechanic, "I think it's termina---", at which point a noise cut off the end of his sentence. Probably he said "terminal", though the Pollyannaish part of me clings to the hope that it was "Terminator Valve 2B, which luckily are cheap and easy to fix."

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

Best of luck. I get disproportionately stressed at the thought of replacing mine, so I wince in sympathy.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Of all the things to inherit!

Glad you made it home okay though, and with your stuff. Sorry to hear about the car.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

DWJ always felt that it made her life more interesting. I suppose there's something in that.

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

When I disappeared you'd been travelling and now I'm back you're travelling again. Or have been. I hope you got some quiet teaching/research time in between!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I've been stupidly busy for months, now. But as of the end of this month there'll be an abrupt change of pace, at least for a while.

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

At last!

If a care package might be handy, email me your address and I'll assemble one. it won't be a big one due to postage, just something small and celebratory.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That's such a kind thought! Really, some chat and entertainment here on LJ would be as good a convalescent present as anything. I'm not sure I'll be up to much more than that - and you've already been very generous to me (I still use your Australian mammals notecards!).

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I like giving pressies and you're very easy to give to. Mostly, though, I think this deserves a celebration. It's a major point in your life.